Overview
- A three-member Election Commission of Pakistan bench led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja opened hearings on the disputed seat on Tuesday to resolve the legal question of vacancy.
- The challenge stems from an Anti-Terrorism Court sentence of 10 years handed to Murad Saeed on March 7, which triggered his disqualification from the Senate in the ECP’s view.
- On April 21 the ECP postponed the April 23 by-election after a PML-N MPA, Jalal Khan, asked the commission to decide whether Saeed ever became a senator because he never took the oath.
- PTI had nominated Irfan Saleem for the cancelled by-poll and petitioners argued the absence of an oath means no lawful vacancy existed while PTI’s defenders said the ECP validly treated the seat as vacant and set a schedule.
- The bench has reserved its judgment and is expected to issue a decision in the coming days, a ruling that will determine who may contest the seat and when a by-election, if any, will be held.